Publisher's Synopsis
Drugs from plants are a major contribution to world health. Their production involves machinery, workers, quality control, standards and legislation. This is a practical reference volume that provides the basic information necessary to select and operate machinery and process plant products through to the desired liquid, solid or powdered drug form. Much of the book is devoted to the production process and the machinery used. In logical sequence, the chapters introduce plants and plant parts, and their conversion to medicinal forms, then provide guidance on handling the incoming plant materials, including quality, pests, residues, analytical techniques and legislation. Next, there is a section dealing with solvents for extration, plus chemical data and notes on their selection and use. Many processes are involved in producing drugs from plants, including grading (sorting), size reduction (comminution), extraction, concentration, purification and drying. Descriptions and evaluations are presented for the more successful approaches to processing, depending on the products involved. This is followed by details for dozens of types of machinery, and a wealth of detailed drawings, including cross-sections and schematics of the working action. A chapter is also devoted to quality assurance, standardization and regulation. Authored by internationally known experts from Germany. Many detailed drawings. A chapter devoted to quality assurance, standardisation and regulation.
